The sri guru granth sahib also known as adi granth is more than a holy book for the sikhs. The founder of sikhism was shri guru nanak dev ji, 14691538 who was born in the punjab area of what is now pakistan. The gurdwara is still however set up as though a human guru is in residence that is the book is treated as the human gurus may have been in their day. The hymns included range from the omnipresence of nature and basic day to day lessons. The main teachings of the guru granth sahib is the love of humanity. Sikhs show their reverence by bowing their foreheads to the floor before the sacred scripture. Sikhism was founded by guru nanak around 500 years ago in a place. The basic philosophy of sikhism revolves mainly around three concepts. Jainism is an eastern religion with origins in the indus river valley dating back to 3000 b. These concepts of dharma, karma and moksha are key to hindu beliefs too.
However, all places where the sri guru granth sahib is installed are equally holy. A sikh is to engage in a daily practice of meditation by reciting and chanting of gods name. Sikhism does not support pilgrimage to holy sites because according to sikhism, god is everywhere and not in any certain place. Comparison between hinduism and sikhism free essay example. Nanded is also an important pilgrimage site of the sikhs as it is home to one of their most sacred shrines takht sachkhand sri hazur abchal nagar sahib. He taught, states jon mayled, that the most important form of worship is bhakti. Sri guru granth sahib ji is the central religious scripture of sikhism, regarded by sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal living guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. Sikhism preaches a message of devotion and remembrance of god at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind and denounces superstitions and blind rituals. A sikh gurdwara includes both the house of worship proper and its associated langar, or communal refectory.
Omkar venerated by hindus, buddhists and jains refers to the divine in sikhism. A good life is lived as part of a community, by living honestly and caring for. Sikhs practice daily prayer and meditation to reduce the effects of ego and prevent indulgence in the manifestations of ego. The guru granth sahib is the sacred scripture of the sikhs, and its bedrock is the body of compositions of guru nanak. The kirpan is a ceremonial dagger though not a weapon that is meant to remind sikhs of the duty to fight injustice. Jan 20, 2017 the most sacred object in sikhism is the guru granth sahib also called the adi granth, the sikh holy book. The granth is the central text of sikhism, a religion that emerged in the punjab region of india in the 15th century. According to sikh tradition, sikhism was established by guru nanak 14691539 and subsequently led by a succession of nine other gurus. The holy book of the sikh religion is the guru granth sahib. Jains see these texts, which are the transcriptions of lord mahavirs sermons, as sacred documents. Naam, the name of god, shabad the word of god and sat sang, the company of the pious and the holy. It is a collection of nearly 6,000 hymns of the sikh gurus religious leaders and various early and medieval saints of different religions and castes. Sikhism was founded in the 15th century by guru nanak, who broke away from hinduism, indias dominant religion.
It is here that the tenth and last sikh guru, guru gobind singh 1666 1708, anointed the holy book guru granth sahib as the eternal guru of sikhism. Why are holy books important to religious people answers. Sikhism rejects all distinctions based on caste, creed, gender, color, race, or national origin. Mar 17, 2015 sacred days are a high priority in the sikh faith. The holy book ofsikhs, shri guru granth sahib, is a collection of bhakti songs, from various poets of the time, from kabir to ravidas to namdeo. This article looks at sikh beliefs about god, karma, death and rebirth. He is responsible for the saying there is no hindu, there is no muslim which has since become one of the pillars of sikhism. Sikhs believe that your actions are important and you should lead a good life. First book also called granth or granth sahib, the sacred scripture of sikhism, a religion of india. Public worship worship gcse religious studies revision.
The sikh place of worship is known as a gurdwara, and it is where the sikh holy book, the guru granth sahib is kept, though copies are also found in sikh homes. The sikh scripture is a book called the guru granth sahib the tenth guru, guru gobind singh declared that there would be no other living gurus but instead sikhs could look to their holy scriptures for guidance, so the holy book became the guru teacher. Detailed information on the historical and philosophical background of sikhism. Any human being who faithfully believes in i one immortal being, ii ten gurus, from guru nanak dev to guru gobind singh. In a gurdwara, all remove their shoes, and women cover their heads.
This book contains the teachings of all gurus, and hass been identically printed since the first copy, containing the same amount of pages, same words, and same paper size to preserve it. The dasam granth is a composition primarily of the tenth guru, guru gobind singh. Religious behaviors are actions that have no intrinsic meaning, but rather ascribed meaning. The holy book of jainism is a collection of texts known as agam literature or the agam sutras. The main holy book in sikhism is the guru granth sahib. The guru granth sahib is indeed the greatest work of punjabi literature. But sikhism has a few important sites, of which, the hari mandir, also known as the golden temple in amritsar in punjab is the most important site and is considered the holiest shrine of sikhism.
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion, and the basic sikh belief is represented in the phrase ik onkar meaning one god. Most sikh holidays are celebrated with a ritual 48hour reading of the entire guru granth sahib, processions see above, preaching, prayer, and. The holy book of sikhs, shri guru granth sahib, is a collection of bhakti songs, from various poets of the time. Sep 24, 2009 this article looks at sikh beliefs about god, karma, death and rebirth. The holy books of world religions sacred texts in world. Sikhism, religion and philosophy founded in the punjab region of the indian subcontinent in the late 15th century. The book teaches that outward rituals and indulgence in the worldly pleasure only bring us pain. Sikhism is open to all through the teachings of its 10 gurus enshrined in the sikh holy book and living guru, sri guru granth sahib.
Practices and rituals sikhism a sikh is to engage in a daily. Guru nanak, the first sikh guru and the founder of sikhism, was a bhakti saint. The 10th guru, gobind singh, declared that he would have no living successor, and this collection of teachings would become the ultimate guru for the sikh. Eleanor nesbitt highlights the key threads in the fascinating history, from the gurus and the development of the sikh appearance, to martyrdom and militarization in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the diaspora. The emphasis is on a leading a worldly, successful life as a householder and a contributing member of society, but with the mind attuned to an awareness of god. Shri guru granth sahib the sacred text of the sikhs. Sikhism was founded in the punjab region in india in the 15th century by guru nanak dev. Originally, the religion relied on the teaching of living gurus. The five kakars are required to be worm by sikh followers. Its implementation has successfully achieved a high level of uniformity in the religious and social practices of sikhism 3.
Unlike the bible or the bhagavadgita, which are often carried around, dogeared and placed on a shelf with other books, there are strict rules and procedures for handling the adi granth. For example, walking around with a white cap on your head has no meaning on its. The compositions of his successors are also contained in the book, as are. Sikhism instructs that salvation can only be attained by meditating on one god. Jan 31, 2014 an indian sikh devotee takes a holy bath in the sacred pond of the golden temple, sikh s holiest temple, during the birth anniversary of guru nanak, in amritsar, india, wednesday, nov. This is a very important principle that permeates all sikh beliefs, behaviors, and rituals. Sikhism broke from hinduism due, in part, to its rejection of the caste system. Sikhs do have pictures of holy people, eg guru nanak, the founder of sikhism. The most important holidays in sikhism are gurpurbs, festivals marking the birthday or martyrdom of a guru. It has over 3000 hymns and instructions to lead a good sikh life.
Sikhism is a practical religion and sikhs are a pragmatic people. Jun 30, 2014 to close up this series of articles about hinduism, well turn our focus to the second most important component of religion for hinduism hindu practices and behaviors. Sikhism preaches a message of devotion and remembrance of god at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind, social justice and denounces superstitions and blind rituals. A good life is lived as part of a community, by living honestly and caring for others. This sacred text is divided into two main sections, the old testament and the new testament which are then further divided into various books. At sultanpur, he received a vision to preach the way to enlightenment and god. Sikhism was influenced by the bhakti movement, but it was not simply an extension of bhakti. Holy books are important because they are a constant reference that believers can consult for guidance on their practices. The religion of the sikhs by dorothy field 1914 a short guide to the sikh religion. The adi granth, its first rendition, was compiled by the fifth sikh guru arjan dev. Community and cooperation with others are among the most important tenets of sikhism.
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